Bus Overturns Carrying University Of Washington Marching Band
Dozens of people have been hospitalized after a charter bus transporting members of the University of Washington marching band rolled on a Washington interstate Thursday, according to Washington State Patrol.
Trooper John Bryant said "40-45 plus" people were transported to hospitals but that none of the injuries were serious. He said there were 56 people total on the bus.
"The injuries reported were cuts, complaints of general pain and back pain, but the injuries are not believed to be critical," UW spokesperson Victor Balta said in a statement. "The University is doing everything it can to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff, and to get them back on their journey to Pullman."
The Husky Marching Band was headed to Eastern Washington to perform at Friday's Apple Cup football game between Washington and Washington State.
According to Bryant, the bus rolled at about 5:30 p.m. local time and was one of six carrying UW band members.
It wasn't immediately clear why the bus rolled over, though Bryant warned incoming media members to drive carefully because the road was icy. He shared photos from the scene of the overturned bus, with the bumper partially ripped off and misshapen front window frames.
Bryant initially said 20 to 25 band members were transported to hospitals, but raised that number about two hours later.
The band members who were uninjured regrouped at an elementary school in the small town of George, Wash., where they received a warm welcome from the local community. One member of the band group said in a post on Twitter, "families left their Thanksgiving dinners to bring us leftovers and hot food."
The people in George rallying to help the band even included fans of their rivals from Washington State University, according to a tweet from UW Cheer.
Update 11/23/2018 11:30 a.m.: The UW marching band announced it will not continue to Pullman to play in the Apple Cup. Of the 47 people transported to local hospitals Thursday night, two remain under medical care for injuries not believed to be life threatening.
[Copyright 2018 NPR]
